Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge - Diocesan History

Diocesan History

The Christian history of the Diocese of Baton Rouge began with little-known but heroic efforts of French missionaries among the native American peoples of the area. In particular, French Jesuits and Capuchin Franciscans were responsible for the preaching of the Gospel along the Mississippi River during the first half of the 18th century: it is recorded that Père Pierre Charlevoix, S.J., celebrated the first Eucharist in Baton Rouge on New Year's Day, 1722, on the present site of the Louisiana State Capitol building. As permanent settlements were established in the Louisiana colony, churches were erected: the first permanent church in the region was St. Francis Chapel of Pointe Coupée, built in 1728 and still standing. Parishes were established at St. James in 1767, at St. Gabriel in 1769, at Donaldsonville in 1772, at Baton Rouge in 1792, and at Plattenville in 1793.

In 1793, the Diocese of New Orleans was established, but an acute shortage of clergy remained a problem for many, many years. The settlement of Baton Rouge was fortunate in that a resident priest was stationed at Our Lady of Sorrows (later St. Joseph) Parish for most of its first century. Many difficulties were encountered during the 1800s, including not only the universal problems of disease, Civil War and Reconstruction, but also sometimes violent ecclesiastical disputes over the legal authority of parochial "trustees." Still, the faith prospered and the institutional Church grew along with it, with Catholic houses of worship and education established during this time throughout the area.

The first half of the 20th century saw unprecedented growth: the rise of the City of Baton Rouge in industrial, political, and social importance meant a large population increase. The Church in the metropolitan area grew from one Parish in 1900 to nine by 1950 and to fifteen by 1960. In the larger, rural areas of the Diocese, Parishes gradually developed from "mission" chapels as resident priests began to be available.

In the bull "Peramplum Novae Aureliae" issued July 22, 1961, Blessed Pope John XXIII established the Diocese of Baton Rouge, separating it from the territory of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The Holy Father named St. Joseph Church in the See city, built in 1853-1855 and renovated many times since, to be the new diocese's Cathedral. A census conducted in the very first year of the diocese's operation revealed its membership then as being 164,476 Catholics (out of the total of 464,904 people reported by the U.S. Census Bureau that year).

The first Bishop of Baton Rouge, Robert E. Tracy of New Orleans, Louisiana, energetically organized the Diocese in the spirit of Vatican Council II, of which he was a proud participant. The Church of Baton Rouge became a model for other Dioceses in establishing its post-Conciliar administrative structure and consultative process as its pastoral growth continued unabated. A younger-than-average presbyterate proved to be an enormous asset in providing unified pastoral leadership to the local Church in its formative period. Particular emphasis was placed upon liturgical renewal and modern catechetical efforts during this time.

In 1974, Joseph V. Sullivan of Kansas City, Missouri, became Baton Rouge's second bishop. His concern for Catholic education and for a more traditional approach to Catholic doctrine and practice marked his episcopal ministry in the Diocese. He was a prominent advocate of the "Pro-Life Movement," and frequently restated the opposition of the Church to abortion, euthanasia, and related evils.

In 1983 one of the original priests of the Diocese, Bishop Stanley Joseph Ott, was named the third Bishop of Baton Rouge. Under his leadership, the local Church devoted itself to a widespread effort at evangelization and spiritual renewal. He called for the laity of the Diocese, especially, to take new initiatives to renew their faith and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world. A comprehensive program urging financial, ministerial, and spiritual stewardship was begun and for this the Church of Baton Rouge again became a model for other dioceses in North America. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults was put in place as a model for evangelization and catechetics. Ecumenical efforts were significant, resulting in notable efforts at interfaith sharing of prayer and some limited ministry. In 1991, however, Bishop Ott was diagnosed with inoperable liver cancer. Yet over the next 18 months, he gave eloquent witness to Gospel values by his manner of ministry, life, and dying. He became a source and focus of unity and grace to Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

In November 1993 Bishop Alfred C. Hughes of Boston, Massachusetts, was installed as Baton Rouge's fourth bishop. He continued to emphasize spiritual growth for the Catholic people of the diocese, especially by active social justice programs and deeper doctrinal formation in accord with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. He called courageously for fidelity to the Church and to her teachings in confronting the secularism of the modern world. He re-organized diocesan programs of vocations-recruitment and began a comprehensive process designed to cope with declining numbers of ordained ministers in local parishes. A major capital fundraising campaign, designed to achieve certain specific objectives and focus attention on the need for the Church to face the future with confidence and faith, was overwhelmingly successful. In February 2001 Bishop Hughes was transferred to New Orleans to be its Coadjutor Archbishop, eventually becoming the Metropolitan Archbishop there in January 2002.